In the conventional manufacture of mono-n-hexylamine, n-hexanol is contacted with ammonia under amination conditions to produce n-hexylamine and by-product water. One of the problems in the recovery of the hexylamine from the reaction mixture is that an azeotrope consisting of about 49% water and 51% hexylamine is formed and thus creates a problem in the recovery of the n-hexylamine from the reaction product.
As is known there are many procedures for breaking azeotropes and effect the separation of various components. For example one may adjust pressure or contact the azeotrope with another compound which forms an azeotrope with one of the compounds in the mixture. In the case of organics and water, one often may add a hydrocarbon to aid in the separation.